5 ways to keep your dog entertained indoors

Although training and exercising your dog indoors is no substitute for taking him for regular walks, these exercises will keep him happy and entertained when the weather is bad!

1. Use your brain

Brain-teaser toys can be fun for both of you — your dog will have to use his brain to work out how to release treats by moving pieces of a puzzle. Using a puzzle feeder as a way of working for his dinner, means that he will use his paws and nose with dexterity; this can take some time and he may need a little bit of help to start with, as he may get frustrated and want to give up. Puzzle or brain-teaser toys can be bought from various pet shops and online.

2. Hide and seek

Playing hide and seek with your dog can be a great way of him sharpening up his recalls. Hide somewhere in the house that is easy for him to find to start with, then call his name and let him find you — make sure you reward him with a treat. After a few successful attempts you can start hiding in more difficult places.

3. In the box

Ask your dog to retrieve a toy as usual, then position yourself with a toy box in front of you. When he brings the toy back, hold your hand out over the box, ready to receive it, but as he drops the toy let it fall into the box. Give a cue word when this happens, such as 'tidy' and praise him. As he cottons on to the idea, begin moving the toy box further away from you. Soon he will be able to tidy his toys away on command!

4. Full of balls

Get a small children's sand pit or paddling pool and fill it with cheap plastic balls and treats so he can sniff out the food!

5. Great Kongs

A Kong stuffed tightly with goodies will keep your dog occupied for hours! They're particularly good if your dog is going to be left for a few hours, as the process of getting the food out of the Kong is stress-relieving and is great when he's left alone for a couple of hours so he's kept occupied.